Monoclonal Antibody

What is the HTP^TM Platform?
The HTP^TM Platform is Abpro’s proprietary high-speed hybridoma production platform which generates hybridomas in 40 days and delivers monoclonal cell lines guaranteed to be specific to your antigen in 40-60 days.  The platform is also capable of generating antibodies to targets that were traditionally difficult, such as anti-idiotype and high homology targets.

How was the HTP^TM Platform developed?
Abpro’s founders examined the research environment and identified a bottleneck caused by a lack of quality reagents, specifically antibodies.  Because the classic antibody production process relies heavily on the immune system of a mouse to develop B-cells specific to the antigen, they set out to engineer a mouse that would optimize the monoclonal antibody development process.  They were successful: we call their breakthrough the ‘HTP^TM Mouse’.

How does the HTP^TM Platform work?
The HTP mouse has a boosted immune system which displays a broader epitope spread than any other strain of mouse.  The HTP mouse, combined with our optimized protocols, experienced scientists, and state-of-the-art lab equipment, allows Abpro to make highly specific and functional antibodies in less than half the time of conventional methods.

What targets are best for the HTP^TM platform?
We recommend our HTP^TM platform when our customers need a quality antibody made quickly and done right the first time.  
We specialize in generating mAbs to the following targets:

• Anti-idiotypes
• Peptides
• Proteins
• High homology targets (mouse/human/rat proteins)
• GPCRs
• 1-Amino acid specificity
• Small molecules
• Conformation specific

What is the difference between the HTP^TM Platform and Classic methods?
The biggest differences between the HTP^TM Platform and classic monoclonal antibody development are the delivery time and the mouse strain used to develop the antibody.  The HTP^TM protocol produces hybridomas in 40-60 days and uses HTP^TM mice instead of the industry standard balb/c mice.  The hybridomas produced in HTP^TM mice exhibit superior diversity, affinity and stability.  This allows the HTP^TM Platform to generate antibodies to targets that traditional mAb generation platforms cannot.

Will Abpro help to design an immunization strategy specific to my needs?
Yes, at Abpro we work with each of our customers to design an immunization and screening strategy that will give the highest possibility for success.  Our significant experience with many immunization and screening strategies allows us to develop antibody generation methods that are customized to each new project we receive.  
We believe strongly that a well planned antibody generation project leads to higher quality antibodies.  Our staff is comprised of skilled immunologists, protein specialists and customer representatives that know the right questions to ask to develop the proper strategy.  Please contact us if you would like to begin this discussion.

What are your screening capabilities?
Our typical package uses ELISA screening.  We also have the capability to screen using western blotting, dot blotting, affinity ranking, flow cytometry and others upon request.

What is a hybridoma?
Hybridomas come from the fusion of antibody producing B-cells (from the immunized mouse) with immortal myeloma cells. Hybridomas cells have the capacity to grow in cell culture and to continuously secrete epitope specific antibodies.

Do you have any guarantees?
At Abpro we guarantee that at least one hybridoma clone we deliver will be ELISA positive to the antigen or your money back.  In addition to our guarantee, we have a bill-by-phase payment structure that helps to limit the risk inherent in antibody development.   This bill-by-phase plan allows the customer to terminate any project that is not showing promising results without being responsible for the full cost of the project.  However, this rarely happens, as we have a success rate of over 90% in developing monoclonal antibodies that meet our customers’ specifications.

How much antigen is required for antibody development?
If the antigen is abundant we will ask for 3mg of protein antigen at a concentration of at least 1mg/ml for immunizations and screening.  If large volumes of the antigen are not available we can work with less.  We have successfully generated mAbs with only 200µg of protein (a larger volume is preferred).

What antigens can be used to make antibodies?
We develop antibodies to a wide variety of antigens including, but not limited to, proteins, synthetic peptides, cell preparations, DNA, and small molecules. Please inquire if you have any questions.

Can I order peptide synthesis at Abpro?
Yes, Abpro provides all the services required for antibody development.  This including peptide design, synthesis, and peptide conjugation to carrier proteins.  Click here for details.  

Does a peptide need to be conjugated to a carrier protein?
Yes, short synthetic peptides are not immunogenic. We will conjugate the peptide(s) to a carrier protein to increase the immune response to the peptide epitope. We provide peptide conjugation service.

Is help available for peptide/antigen design?
Yes, we offer antigen design as part of our peptide synthesis package.  Our bioinformatics team is highly experienced. If you provide us with the amino acid sequence of the target protein, we will analyze and recommend peptide sequences to use for antibody development. If you already have a sequence in mind, we will analyze it, keeping your end goals in mind to maximize the opportunity for success.

How long does it take to synthesize a peptide?
About 2–4 weeks including conjugation.

What level of antigen purity is required?
Please provide the highest-purity antigen you can. For screening purposes, we require the highest possible purity.  For immunization, the purity can be lower as long as the target of interest exists at a reasonable level in the immunization material.

How is antibody titer determined?
We test the serum from the immunized mice by ELISA. A fixed amount of antigen is coated on the microtiter plate. Serial dilutions of the serum from 1:1000 to 1:100,000 are prepared to determine the detectable titer of Ab in the serum specific to the target antigen.  We look for a titer of >1:10,000 before proceeding to fusion.

What buffer should my antigen be in?
We prefer antigens to be in PBS. If your antigen is in a different buffer, please let us know and we can determine if a buffer change is necessary.  Maintaining protein solubility is most important when deciding which buffer to use.

What concentration should my antigen have?
1mg/ml is preferred; more concentrated antigen is fine. If your antigen has a concentration below 0.2mg/ml, please talk with us.

How should the antigen be shipped?
We prefer to receive the antigen in a soluble form if possible.  If necessary, the antigen may be shipped frozen or on ice packs.

How are clones identified?
Our initial hybridoma screening is typically by ELISA. Additional screenings and assays are available depending on the antibody requirements and by customer request..

Do you test for endotoxin?
A mycloplasma test can be performed upon request.

How are antibodies produced at Abpro?
Our antibodies are produced in vitro.  We do not purify by ascites.  We are currently adding ascites purification to our capabilitiescheck back soon for more updates.

What are the growth conditions for the hybridomas?
We provide the growth and freezing conditions for the hybridoma cell lines before delivery.

How many clones are included in the basic service?
Delivery of up to 5 hybridoma clones frozen into 4 vials each is included in the basic service.  Each of these clones will be stored in our freezer for 6 months without any additional charge.  If you would like more clones, let us know.  We can subclone and deliver as many as you would like.

Who owns the rights of the hybridoma clones and antibodies?
The customer retains exclusive rights to all immunogens, antibodies, and hybridomas generated under our typical arrangements.  We are willing to enter collaborative agreements with researchers who are interested; let us know if you are interested in working out such an agreement.

Can I have my antibody mass produced and purified?
Yes, Abpro has the capabilities to offer you a one-stop shop for antibody development.  We produce antibody in milligram to gram quantities.

What other services do you provide?
Our services include:
1. Monoclonal antibody development
2. Polyclonal antibody development
3. Peptide design, synthesis and conjugation
4. Antibody production and purification
5. Antibody/protein conjugation
6. Antibody characterization
7. Antibody sequencing
8. Epitope mapping
9. Assay development
10. Affinity measurements
If additional service is required, please ask our sales team.

Are the projects confidential?
Yes, all of Abpro’s projects and data associated with them are held in strict confidentiality. We are happy to enter into a confidentiality agreement if it will make you feel more comfortable.

Do you develop antibodies for international customers?
Yes, we regularly ship projects to customers all over the world.

What type of payment do you accept?
We accept checks, bank transfers, purchase orders, and credit cards.